It’s not every day that we get to see the direct impact of the work we do to help our communities.
Last spring, my family was one of thousands who had to leave their homes due to the approaching wildfires. Thankfully, after a few days, we were allowed to return home. Many of my neighbors and others around the state were not so lucky; their homes were destroyed. But because of the brave firefighters, lives were saved and many homes like mine were untouched. And, as the provider of FirstNet®, Built with AT&T, we get the humbling opportunity every day to see the bravery and dedication of our first responders.
As we know, firefighters put their lives on the line day-to-day to protect their communities. That’s why I’m so proud that for the past three years, AT&T has teamed up with the American Lung Association on the New Mexico Firefighter of the Year Award to recognize those firefighters whose actions truly go above and beyond the call of duty.
We developed the award to honor the professionalism, dedication, and sacrifice of New Mexico’s firefighters. This year, I had the honor of presenting the 2023 New Mexico Firefighter of the Year Award to Farmington Fire Department Lieutenant Jeremy Dugan.
Lieutenant Dugan is a 16+ year veteran of the Farmington Fire Department and was nominated by his colleagues for always going above and beyond in his service to the department and the community. He is known for approaching every emergency with care, patience and compassion and is a model for the firefighting profession. It is such a privilege to be able to shine the light on the great work that Lt. Dugan and all firefighters are doing in service to the community.
The award is part of AT&T’s commitment to our first responders and public safety. For the past several years, we have been building the only nationwide, high-speed broadband communications platform dedicated and purpose-built for America’s first responders and the extended public safety community—FirstNet, a public-private partnership with the federal government. The FirstNet network provides public safety with truly dedicated coverage and capacity when they need it, unique benefits like always-on priority and preemption, and high-quality Band 14 spectrum. These advanced capabilities help fire, EMS, EMA, law enforcement, and 9-1-1 save lives and protect communities.
We know how important it is for our first responders to stay connected in a crisis and for our customers to have the best possible experience over the AT&T network. That has meant our nearly $150 million of investment in New Mexico over the past three years is helping public safety protect New Mexicans. It pales in comparison to the commitment of our first responders but it’s important to ensure these brave men and women can continue to carry out their mission.
See what local CBS affiliate KRQE said about the event HERE.
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